


The 'Tell Me' Game

by navitor3 (Blue_Zircon)



Category: One Piece
Genre: Before timeskip, Drabble, F/M, Humour, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-30
Updated: 2014-11-30
Packaged: 2018-02-27 15:04:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2697341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blue_Zircon/pseuds/navitor3
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>12 drabbles spanning over arcs before the timeskip, in which Nami (and sometimes Zoro) initiates little verbal exhanges.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The 'Tell Me' Game

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing of One Piece.
> 
> Another piece of work that is sort of unfinished. After originally posting these drabbles on ff.net, I said I'd add another few that would cover the new world, but that hasn't been very easy. So I'll also mark this as completed, for now.

**The 'Tell Me' Game**

#1

Zoro sat on the railing of their new ship – the Going Merry – when that woman came over. Nami sat down on the railing as well, but a comfortable few feet away from him. She smiled at him. Zoro tried to find somewhere, anywhere to direct his moody eyes. He knew now what she was made of. She couldn't be trusted.

"Zoro," she said. He eyed her suspiciously. "Tell me, _**'Thanks, Nami for getting my swords to me.'**_ "

The swordsman looked at her with a scowl. "Tell me, witch, _**'I'm sorry for pulling you down an oil slick, Zoro!'**_ "

Nami tucked some hair behind her ear, a guilty expression on her face. She looked up at him, smiling again. "Zoro, tell me, _**'Thanks, Nami for getting us treasure we can live off of.'**_ "

The green head clenched his jaw with a growl. "Tell me, _**'Sorry, Zoro, for stepping on your back and leaving you behind in a damn oil slick!'**_ "

She only smiled sweetly.

#2

Zoro sat on the railing of the bow, his chest freshly bandaged after his horrendous scar had been re-opened. Nami came over to join him, placing her hands on the railing, a suitable distance from where he was sitting. She made no eye-contact.

"Zoro, tell me, _**'Nami, I'm glad you joined the crew, for real, this time.'**_ " she said quietly.

"Tell Luffy you're sorry you stole the ship," he said, staring at the sea.

"Zoro, tell me, _**'Nami, I don't hate you for making me have to come get you while I was injured... really badly. And for hitting me.'**_ " she said with some guilt and turned her face away.

"It was an order... and I don't hate you," he said, still looking over the ocean.

#3

Zoro yawned, still drowsy after a recent nap and strolled on to the upper-deck. Nami was there, using her compass, making sure they were on the right course after having just left their new little friend, Apis, behind on her home island – Warship Island. The navigator noticed Zoro in the corner of her eye. "Zoro, tell me, _**'Thanks Nami for getting us away from the marines.'**_ " she said, keeping her eyes on the compass.

The swordsman sat down on the stairs behind the galley, resting his elbows on his knees. "Nami, tell me, _**'Thanks Zoro, for noticing I steered the ship straight into a calm belt.'**_ " he said with a slight smirk and watched her, waiting for her reaction.

The navigator's mouth fell open and she blinked at him. Nami then pursed her lips together and snapped her compass shut. "Fine, I'll let you have that one," she said, eyeing him with contempt.

Zoro snorted, still smiling at her. Nami began to smile as well. She folded her arms and turned away from his penetrating gaze.

#4

Zoro was on the bow, looking down as they – Luffy and Sanji – carried the navigator off the Merry. He had to trust the two with taking care of her. If he had offered to carry her, it would have looked... weird and that ero-cook would never have let him do it. It would only have caused trouble and all that mattered now, was getting her to a doctor. Usopp and Luffy helped lift Nami to Sanji's back and Vivi joined them as they started their journey through the snow. The cook carried Nami away and Zoro moved forward till his body touched the railing. "Don't die, witch," he said over the cold wind.

#5

The strawhats were on their way to a distant land called, Alabasta. On the balcony, in front of the galley, stood Zoro, in the dark, thinking about what a dangerous task this would be. Nami came from the galley, thinking the same thing. She stood next to him, needing something to distract her weary mind.

"Zoro," she said.

"Yeah."

"Tell me, _**'Thanks, Nami for lending me money to buy some swords.'**_ " she said without a smile in her voice.

"Tell me, _**'Don't worry, Zoro, I won't hold you to a fake debt.'**_ " he said quietly.

Nami smiled faintly, but then squeezed her hands on the railing. "Zoro, tell me, _**'Everything's going to be okay, Nami.'**_ " she said, still staring into the distance, her concern apparent in her voice.

Zoro turned his head to look at her. "Everything's going to be okay, witch," he said, almost in a whisper.

#6

Nami wore the most satisfied look on her face, since, maybe when she had left her home town of Cocoyashi as she watched the sandy dessert land of Alabasta fade into the far distance. They had just parted from their friend, Vivi, a sad fact, but they were leaving her behind in her homeland, which was safe now, thanks to their efforts. Zoro came to stand a few feet away from Nami. She glimpsed his way as he rolled his sleeve up, revealing the wrapped cloth each of them were wearing. "Zoro," she said with a teasing tone.

"What?" he asked, unwrapping the cloth from his arm.

"Tell me, _**'Nami, I'm so proud of you for making me protect Vivi that night.'**_ "

The swordsman removed the cloth, revealing the black 'x' drawn on his arm. He exhaled through his nose. "Nami, tell me, _**'Zoro, I was lying through my teeth when I said I couldn't walk and made you carry my lying butt.'**_ " he said, shoving the cloth into his pocket and turning to walk away.

"Zoro." He stopped without looking back. "Tell me, _**'Carrying you on my back wasn't so bad, Nami. I enjoyed holding you close.'**_ " she said with no teasing tone in her voice and waited, her lips parted.

"It was bearable," he said and walked away. Nami remained where she was, dissecting his few words.

#7

They were free. The ship floated in the air with the help of the octopus, carrying them from the confines of the marine base – G8. Nami watched her surroundings, not having thought the ship would leave the water so soon again after their return from Skypaeia. She spotted Zoro doing the same and called to him where he stood on the other side of the figurehead. "Hey, Zoro!" He glanced her way. "Tell me," she said cheekily. " _ **'Nami, thanks for getting me out of that corridor where those marines could have caught me!'**_ "

Zoro scowled at her nerve. He made his way around the figurehead to look her in the eye from up close. " _Witch_ , tell me, _**'Zoro, I'm sorry for dumping your swords on the freaking rocks and making you have to go get them IN THE WATER, where you eventually got caught!'**_ "

Nami bit her lip, having no excuse for her lack of judgement. "Zoro... tell me..., _**'Nami, even though you made a mistake, I know you were only looking out for me.'**_ " she dared to say, knowing she had committed the ultimate crime – almost losing him his swords.

Zoro made fists with his hands and clenched his jaw. "Witch, you better start running."

Nami backed away. "Zoro, tell me, _**'I'm not really mad at you Nami – '**_ " The fuming swordsman moved closer to her. Nami found herself backing up against the railing. "Never mind," she quickly said and wanted to walk away, but Zoro grabbed her arm and continued using a silent glare to unsettle her further. "Haha, Zoro, mission accomplished, I'm shaking." Still the glaring. Nami had enough. Only one way could get him to let go. She snuck a look around, making sure the rest of the crew were still on the stern of the ship, cheering over their successful escape. Nami then grabbed the back of Zoro's head with her free hand and smashed her lips into his. Zoro's eyes widened, his grip on her arm immediately slacking. His shocked eyes were about to fall closed when Nami quickly pulled away. "Take that, Zoro!" She quickly fled to find a quiet place where she could calm her stunned mind and racing heart.

#8

The train rattled on over the sea at full speed. Nami held on to something, anything, to prevent her from falling. Zoro had to leave his cool, controlled demeanour behind and brace himself as they were thrown around in the carriage. Unfortunately, there wasn't much to hang on to besides seats, and the navigator and swordsman were flung around like cloth puppets. Nami felt like letting out a hysterical laugh as she didn't know what was happening any more. "Zoro! Tell me, _**'Nami, this isn't really happening!'**_ " Her body hit a window and Nami flinched as a slight pain seared through her arm.

Zoro looked at her when he wasn't turned the other way or blocking his body from crashing into hard surfaces. He was worried about her. Her short hair was a mess and she looked like she was slowly busy losing it. He wanted to grab her and shake sense into her, but then he found himself falling...

Nami screamed in a high pitched tone. Her back had hit the side wall of the coach and she saw Zoro's body coming at her. She squeezed her eyes shut, holding her arms in front of her to protect her chest, her hands blocking her face. Nami heard a thud as both his palms as well as his spread knees and tips of his boots hit the wall behind her. She felt his soft, clothed chest fall against her arms and his face hitting her palms. Nami opened her eyes and shifted her hands off his face. Their eyes met as the weight of his body pushed against her, but not crushing her due to his quick action. "I thought you were gonna crush me!" she said angrily, grabbing on to his T-shirt. Zoro, affected by the adrenalin flowing through him, swiftly smothered her loud mouth with a kiss – giving the navigator another way to express her aggression towards him, before the train landed on the tracks with a bang and forced them apart.

#9

Zoro walked passed her, not acknowledging her presence, as usual, as he entered the room. Nami got the gentle whiff of a pleasant fragrance as he passed her. She recognised it immediately, but why would it be coming from Zoro? He sat down at the clothed table in the room and she left the doorway to follow him. Nami looked at his black T-shirt. "What are you looking at, woman?" he asked with a frown, crossing his arms over his chest. Nami circled the table and stopped behind him. Zoro kept his body still, but his gaze drifted to his right where she had disappeared from view. Then her orange head appeared on the other side of his face. Zoro scowled. "Witch, get off!"

Nami sniffed his T-shirt. "That's not it," she said to herself.

"What?" he asked. Nami sniffed over his throat and then his face." Zoro's eyes followed her face as she inhaled his scent. Finally she sniffed his hair.

"It's you," she said.

"Huh?" he said awkwardly

Nami sat down in the chair next to him and faced him. "Zoro, tell me, _**'Nami, I smell like talcum powder, because – ?'**_ "

The swordsman flinched. A slight blush formed on his cheeks and Nami giggled. "Shut up," he said.

She cheekily leaned in and took another whiff of his hair, but stopped when Zoro turned his head and looked her straight in the eye. "You smell nice," she said softly. "Like a baby." Zoro showed no reaction. Nami lingered for a moment before leaning back in her chair. Zoro took his eyes off her, and he and Nami looked at nothing in particular as they continued to sit in the room, neither of them interested in leaving.

#10

The navigator and the little doctor sat on opposite sides of the swordsman where he lay bandaged and resting while the other crew members celebrated after their successful mission in Thriller Bark. Nami wanted to touch him, to hold his hand, to speak to him. "Zoro," she said as quietly as she could whenever Chopper was distracted by the dancing and celebrating happening around them. The swordsman was awake and heard her call his name over and over, but his eyes remained closed.

#11

The sunny set sail from Thriller Bark and a very emotional Nami felt herself wanting to lash out at the recovering swordsman. Not only did he almost die while the whole crew lay unconscious and unaware of what was happening to him, but now he kept steering himself away from her whenever she tried to speak to him. Nami stormed over to him, where he sat against the railing, hugging his swords to his wounded chest.

"Zoro!" she said, addressing him forcefully. The swordsman looked up, allowing himself to see the anger and frustration on her face, in her eyes. "Tell me, _**'Nami, I'll never do something stupid and let myself get killed without letting you know first!'**_ "

Zoro frowned, tired of having to avoid her. "Nami, tell me, _**'I won't worry about you, Zoro, it's not worth it!'**_ " He wanted his words to get through to her as his determined gaze burned into her eyes.

Tears welled up in those eyes. "It is worth it!" Nami crossed the lawn, leaving Zoro to still wrestle with the fact that there was something he could never protect or keep her safe from – her love for him.

#12

Nami sat by the table in her alien surroundings, her new home in the sky till she could find her way back to her crew mates – her friends. She was still in shock over what had happened. They were all gone and she had no idea where they were. She could only assume they had ended up somewhere safe, like she had. Her eyes strayed to the green curtains on the window. It kept her mind on the one person she didn't want to think of. She left the little house and stepped on to the grass, remembering that moment, just a few hours ago when he had been on his knees, weak and defeated. Then he had disappeared, just vanished before her eyes. "Zoro... tell me you're okay," she said softly, over the silent breeze.

ooo


End file.
